Into The Darkness
by Tarma Hartley
Summary: Inspired by a drawing on y!Gallery. Roxas isn't sure how he feels about Axel but, when Axel is imprisoned in a crystal shard by Xemnas, he'll do whatever it takes to rescue him. In the process, Roxas will discover what his feelings really are. T, AkuRoku
1. Axel: Into The Abyss

[Inspired by a drawing on y!Gallery by YvieChan: can you feel something like...Love!] My first_ ever_ KH2 fic! I'm a relative newcomer to this pairing-a few months, at the very most-so if the characters are OOC, I would really appreciate some direction from the more experienced! :)

Anyway, this is a little AU-mainly because I've not been a member of the pairing fandom very long so I'm not really sure exactly _where _this would properly fit, if it would at all-in the KH2 time line. Axel is 23 and Roxas is 19 in this fic.

The darkness being referred to here is a metaphor for the confusion and sometimes the wounds that conflicted feelings can inflict on someone, particularly when one is sure of their feelings for another but the person in question isn't. It's really a journey of discovery, in that respect, with a little fantasy thrown in for good measure. I'm trying to get inside their skins to see how they would react as people and not just characters.

Thanks to Midnight-hunter for her critique and pan2dapan on y!Gall for her help and suggestions! Special thanks to DezoPenguin, my husband, for his advice and TLC!

I hope you enjoy it! As always, comments and suggestions are welcomed and appreciated!

Rated Teen, AU/Drama/Romance, Axel x Roxas  
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_How did I get here?_

He was falling in the darkness, trapped deep inside its cold and frosty heart, tumbling slowly downward. He was alone, his hands clawing desperately at the suffocating black, trying to find a glimmer of light and, with it, hope that he would find his way out and to the one who's heart was calling out to him.

_How_ he got here was anyone's guess; he didn't even know himself how he had ended up in this pitch-black darkness. To the best of his memory, one moment he was at the supermarket buying items for dinner for himself and Roxas; in the next, he was tumbling down this black crater.

Pushing aside these thoughts for the present, Axel struggled to find a toehold in the Stygian darkness, throwing his hands out around him, trying to find something to hold on to as he fell, thoughts of Roxas burning themselves into his fevered brain.

He loved him with all of the force in his being without the slightest hope that Roxas would love him back but that didn't really matter all that much to Axel. If he could be near him or even see him from a distance, he would be content with that. Of course, he fervently hoped that it could be something more once he'd gotten his conflicted feelings sorted out.

Axel knew he had to be patient and he really was trying but he found himself becoming more and more frustrated the longer Roxas took to sort things out. He sighed as he thought of it, his black cloak rising and falling about his body like wings.

_I'll find him... if I can ever get out of this place first, that is._

Twisting first to the left and then to the right, Axel somehow managed to slow his descent long enough to conjure his flaming chakrams and, gripping them tightly in his black-gloved hands, he lunged out, slashing hard at the smooth obsidian walls that he had felt when his shoulders brushed past them as he tumbled down.

A hideous screeching noise rewarded his efforts, sparks flying in a shimmering wave that burned everything they touched, much like the burning flames inside Axel's own body. He gritted his teeth hard as little pieces of burning brands touched the skin on his face, groaning in pain as they left their incendiary mark with a soft, hissing sound.

Despite the pain it caused him and the crazy angles his body crashed into the walls on the way down, Axel continued to lunge and slash when he could, Roxas' heart-call becoming louder the further he fell into the abyss. He was tumbling head over feet and hard-pressed to try and control his crazy, out of control dive.

_Damn it!_ he thought, twisting his body desperately to avoid a collision with a jagged cliff-like protrusion that stuck out from the darkness, its sharp, glimmering tip reflected in the short, intermittent spears of light that came from somewhere in the darkness._ I'm losing control!_

He managed to miss impaling himself by mere inches on that wicked tip but he didn't fully escape contact with the sharp point. It tore through his black pants, inflicting a nasty cut that went from his knee to his ankle; he screamed in agony as he felt the arctic-cold pierce him straight to the bone. His body arched as he threw his head back, his red hair fluttering madly, his hands clenching and unclenching into fists, his muffled screams of pain ricocheting off the walls.

_It hurts, Roxas! _He clenched his teeth tightly together, trying to suppress a scream that threatened to burst from his lips. _The pain...! _

Out of the darkness came a voice, soft and menacing, that seemed to fill his mind and he started violently, his eyes widening._  
_

-**Do you love him enough to suffer for** _him_, **to suffer on account of **_him_?- A mocking though familiar voice said softly, the words cutting and deliberately cruel. -**You have **_no _**heart, Axel... what do you know of love? How could a Nobody know what love is...?** He _IS_ the reason you're here, Axel...- The voice sighed with what sounded like genuine regret. -**You've been**_ such_** a disobedient boy since he came into your life...**-

He recognized that voice although, at this point in time, he couldn't remember who it belonged to. _What... that... that voice! What the hell is... is that... voice doing here?!_

"Who the hell are you?!" Axel yelled, screaming again as another ice-cold shard pierced his left arm. "What do you want?! Who are you?! Why am I here?!"

A rich, throaty chuckle liberally laced with menace echoed in his ears.

-**Do you even have to** _ask_,** Axel?**- Another humorless chuckle, the flat, emotionless voice a poisonous hiss in his ears. -**Foolish child.** _You_, **of all people, should know who**_ I_ **am**. **As to why I brought you here, the reason is simple.**- A slight pause. -**You must be punished for your disobedience. Organization XIII can't allow rogue boys to be among their number; it's not good for discipline. Therefore, you will serve as an example to the others as to what will happen if they get out of line... if**_ they_** develop **_certain... interests_** above and beyond what we allow... like **_you_** did, Axel...-**

Realization dawned on Axel of what the voice meant by "_developing certain interests above and beyond what we allow..."_ and ice-cold fear clutched at his heart. It couldn't mean what he thought it did, could it...?

_If they develop certain... interests above and beyond what we allow... Like you did, Axel..._

Axel's eyes opened wide, his mouth trembling as the cold menace of _what_ those words implied finally made itself clear in his mind. They would never let either of them go to live their lives together in peace apart from the Organization. He should have known that this had been their plan from the beginning; like a fly trapped in a spider's web, he was now their helpless pawn.

"No!" he cried in anguish, made all the more sharp by another razor sharp shard piercing his glove, leaving an ice-cold trail of burning cold across the back of his hand. "You... _can't_! Not...not... to..._him_!"

_Not to him who is my life, whom I would willingly sacrifice my life for. Not to him who is my reason for living._

It was clear to him that the Organization would rather see one, or, preferably, both of them destroyed to keep the others in line and that this would be considered by them to be a small sacrifice and one hardly worth mentioning, at best. They would rather see _both_ of them dead than to let them go free...

Loud, savage laughter reverberated in his mind and he screamed, clapping his hands to his ears to try and drown it out but it was useless as both the sound and the excruciating pain found their mark, reverberating painfully inside his head.

-**Yes, Axel_, _**_**we** can_**. And we **_will_**, you can be sure of that.-** A chilling silence followed for a few minutes before the voice spoke again, Axel's moans of pain bubbling up from deep within him.** -You will learn first hand what Organization XIII does to traitors. We **_will_** get our revenge, I promise you.**-

Axel's mind spun as he fell, his speed increasing until he could hear a steady screaming in his ears. _Revenge? Revenge... for.. what? And on whom? Did they mean... Roxas? Why? What can that possibly mean...?_

A soft, serpentine whisper invaded his mind.

-**You betrayed us and, for that, you must be punished...**-

He didn't have time to think about the implications or even wonder what kind of punishment they were planning for him for he came to a sudden stop, crashing hard onto an ice-cold floor. He lay still for many moments, gasping for breath, his body heaving as he desperately tried to breathe and writhing in pain from the many wounds he had suffered during his free fall.

He slowly lifted himself painfully up onto his elbows but fell back down again with a loud thump, sending pain crashing through his body. A muffled scream emerged past his tightly clenched teeth, lost in a wave of pain that soon dissipated as the darkness returned and he fell into it, gratefully accepting its embrace.

_Roxas..._


	2. Axel: Imprisoned Within A Crystal Heart

_A/N: I don't own anything except the plot of this fic. :D The characters belong to Square Enix & Disney._ :)

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Axel is in trouble. He's been captured by Xemnas and is about to pay for his desertion in a most _unique_ way..._

_**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**  
_

Chapter 2! Sorry this has taken so long for me to get to--too _many _fics and too _little _time! Getting through the back up slowly with much more to come in the future!  
I'm_ slowly_ starting to get the hang of these characters, _slowly_ being the operative word of the day here, although my rather obsessive playing of Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days-which _ROCKS_ though there were some missions made me want to tear my hair out in frustration :coughcoughLeechgravecough:-has helped so that's all good! :) EDIT: I finished it January 9th! What a **GREAT** game!!

Anyway, hope you enjoy! :)

_**Thank you **to all my readers: those who have commented, read, reviewed, favourited/story alerted my stories and thanks also to those who have author alerted/favourite authored, as well! I appreciate it very much! I am glad that you are enjoying my stories and I hope that you will continue to enjoy them in the future! :)_

Thank you to my betas, Midnight-hunter and 1-Love-Me-Deadly-2, for all your comments and insights! I **really **appreciate it! :)

As always, much love to my beloved husband, DezoPenguin, for his enduring love, support, encouragement, nagging (when necessary) and comfort when I feel like tearing out my hair during the writing process! Love you, babe!

Rated Teen, Axel x Roxas, AU, Drama/Romance  
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When he at last had opened his eyes, sometime later, he was surprised to find himself in an ice cave; sconces carved into the walls around them, lit candles burning brightly and casting cheery shadows that danced across all four walls.

"What...? H-how...?" he whispered as he slowly sat up. Automatically, pain began screaming in nearly every muscle, but Axel wasn't thinking about his injuries or even _how _lucky he was to have survived such a long fall. His attention was riveted on what stood before him, his eyes opening wide as he saw a large, crystal shard, points of light glimmering on its surface and, standing beside it, a tall man in black robes, holding a pair of manacles attached to a steel chain.

A chill radiated throughout his body as he looked at the tall, silent figure that stood close to the life-size shard; he recognizedthat particular stance and he could dimly recall whom it belonged to. He also knew, in that instant, that he was in _serious_ trouble.

-**Very good, Axel**...- the figure said icily, the chain rattling slightly in its grasp as it walked over to where Axel lay half-prone on the floor, pushing its hood back to reveal the cold, emotionless face of Xemnas. "I see that you have finally figured out not only _who_ I am, but _why _I am here."

A cold, sinister expression spread out over his face as he lazily tossed his head, his hair floating across his shoulder like the finest strands of silk, tilting his head slightly to the left as if in curious inquiry. Axel had the disconcerting feeling that he was being chastised like an errant schoolboy and his face flushed a bright red with a violence that seemed to amuse his erstwhile tormentor.

"You have been a naughty child and I am here to see that you get _exactly_ what you deserve." Xemnas' voice hardened. "You betrayed Organization XIII by your actions and your punishment will serve as a warning to the others that should they, too, step out of line_, their_ fate will be the same as _yours_."

The sound of the rattling chains became louder as he came closer to Axel, bending down in front of him and looking at him, a feline smile plastered across his face. Axel shuddered, feeling _very_ much like a mouse cornered by a hungry cat.

"Bound by the chains of love are you, Axel?" Xemnas sneered, then chuckled nastily as he put his gloved fingers underneath Axel's chin and forcing him to look at him, which he did most unwillingly. "Exchanging one prison for_ another_, I see." He sniffed with disdain, his eyes narrowing. "You_ are _pathetic!" His teeth gritted into a savage snarl, he squeezed his fingers together as hard as he could, drawing a mewl of pain from Axel as his hands slowly began clenching into fists although what good it would do was tenuous, at best. "I'll see to it that you _never_ see the light of day again or your _precious _little Roxas, either! And, once _we're_ done with _you_, we'll find him and deal with _him_, as well!"

Tears came to Axel's eyes as Xemnas squeezed harder, tendrils of pain shooting up and down his jaw-line and cheeks. He swallowed hard to keep from crying out, not wanting to give Xemnas the satisfaction.

"No... you-you... _can't_..." Axel whispered brokenly, struggling to free himself from Xemnas' grasp, his eyes shimmering. "You... _can't_... Not-not... _him_..."

Axel bit his lip hard._ Not the light in my life, the sun in my world, the only one I long to be with. I couldn't bear it..._

Xemnas' fingers tightened once more before letting him go with a sound akin to disgust, his mouth twisted into a demonic snarl as Axel's head slammed hard onto the floor, stars dancing before his eyes, his head throbbing with pain.

"Foolish child," Xemnas said softly a few moments later, grabbing him by the collar of his black cloak and hauling Axel unceremoniously to his feet, the toes of his boots scraping the floor helplessly. "Did you _honestly_ think that we would let either of you get away with betraying us?" He shook him, his amber eyes burning with a peculiar, brownish-orange fire that Axel found disconcerting as his teeth rattled and his feet kicked helplessly four inches above the floor. "You _both_ are part of Organization XIII--did you really think that we would let either of you go?"

"No..." he managed to croak from tightly pressed lips, wishing he could spit in the man's face to show him just how much he hated and despised him. "That would have been a foolish mistake. I knew that... we couldn't get away from you but..." Axel stopped to take another deep, painful breath, his bruised ribs throbbing. "I... was hoping that... we could... buy ...just ... enough time to put as much...much... distance between... us and you bunch... bunch of.. of bastards as we could." Axel closed his eyes and lowered his head, a thin trickle of blood slowly coursing from the side of his mouth. "It-it was all for... for... nothing..."  
_  
Roxas... I've... I've failed you. Can you ever forgive me?_

Xemnas was unmoved. "Of course it was, Axel. It was a fool's game right from the beginning... as _you _should have known. There is _no _way you can escape us; we'd merely hunt you down and destroy you." He waved his free hand in the air in slow, lazy circles. "And never once look back with either pity or regret that we were forced to deal with a beloved child, or children, this harshly." He brought Axel's face close to his own, the half-hidden lips twisting into a caricature of a smile, amber eyes boring hard into his green ones. "_You_ betrayed us, Axel, and that is something we can _never_ forgive..."

Axel resisted the urge to laugh in Xemnas' face, his lips twisting into a smug smile. He never really knew exactly _where _this burst of bravado had come from but, as he was forced to look at him, he felt all fear inexplicably melting away.

_All that we were afraid of means nothing to me in this moment, Roxas... He rules by fear and, strangely enough, I am_ not _afraid of him..._ Axel was surprised at how calm he felt, considering the circumstances but he was careful to conceal this from the figure who held him suspended above the floor. _I don't know _where _this is coming from but I'm _not _afraid of this bastard and I want him to know just _how _much I despise him!_

Axel's heart constricted in pain as he thought of Roxas again and he closed his eyes, not wishing to let his feelings show and giving him any kind of satisfaction. _Still, I don't think I'll be able to see you again for a very long time and that thought pains me more than anything this jackass would ever be able to dream up to punish me with._

"You sought temporary chains in your feelings for Roxas," Xemnas said coldly, a sly look coming into his eyes, chuckling at Axel's gasp of surprise; he was a bigger fool than he thought which was, at intervals, pathetically inadequate and dispiriting. Why had Xemnas expected better of him? "You _shouldn't_ have been surprised that we'd know of your fixation with him; it was written all over your face."

Axel was angered at the thought that his love for Roxas was known by this slimy bastard. It just seemed... dirty, somehow.

"You... knew?" Axel managed to get out, struggling to control the rage he could feel welling up inside him. "You... knew?!"

"Of course we knew. We all did. All we had to do was look at you and we could tell how you felt about him." Xemnas' lips twisted cruelly, his voice lowering to a serpentine hiss. "But, my dear Axel, did _he_ ever really return your love in the same full measure that _you_ longed to give it? Did _he_ ever _truly _love _you_? He's a Nobody... just... like... _you_."

Axel tried to block out those hurtful words but they sank into his unconscious mind like a slow-acting poison, feeling his heart constrict with pain, a low moan escaping from tightly pursed lips. No matter _how_ hard he tried, he couldn't block out those cruel words completely and it shook him to his very marrow. Roxas was really the _only _good thing in his life and he never wanted to lose him but he couldn't help still that small, nagging voice of doubt that crept into his thoughts.

:_**He's right, you know... You're both Nobodies so how could you possibly feel love when neither of you have hearts? Only people with hearts can feel love... not someone like you...:**_

"No," Axel moaned, shaking his head violently from side to side as he felt Xemnas slowly turn and face the crystal shard that stood in the middle of the floor. "No...I-it... I... _DO._.. love him! I do! I _KNOW _it's real... I _KNOW_ it!!!" In his anguish, it sounded hollow, even to him.

Xemnas shook his head as he opened the manacles and put them onto Axel's wrists, closing them tightly shut, grinning in savage satisfaction as he heard Axel's moans of pain as he felt the manacles dig into his skin above his gloves. Axel gritted his teeth hard, tears once more slowly trickling down his cheeks.

Axel shook his head hard. _I love him... I know I do! Damn you, Xemnas!_

His heart and mind were in turmoil and he didn't resist when Xemnas dragged him over to the shard, forcing him to look into what would become his prison. He looked blankly at it at first and then with trepidation when he realized that this is where he would be for a_ very _long time. He couldn't suppress a shudder.

"This will be your home for a _very_ long time to come, Axel." Xemnas reached out with his free hand while holding the steel chain with the other, murmuring soft words under his breath that Axel could barely hear and didn't even lift his head when one side of the crystal slowly opened. Xemnas stepped forward, lifting the chain above his head and attached it to the tip inside, wrapping the remainder of the chain around Axel's body. "If I had _my_ way, I would simply have destroyed you but, as they say, you can't have everything."

When Axel's immobilization was complete, Xemnas stepped back a little, tilting his head to the right as if studying him which he did for some time in silence. Axel lifted his head slowly to look up at him, staring dumbly at him, his gloved fingers twitching slightly.

Xemnas smiled-or what passed for one-almost tenderly at him as he gently touched his cheek, leaned forward and pressed a light, fatherly kiss upon his forehead that made Axel want to slam his fists into his face but he did nothing more than to shudder in disgust at his cold touch. Xemnas touched his face once again and spoke a few words; Axel felt his eyes getting heavy as a sleepy lethargy swept over him, his body becoming heavier with each passing moment. He struggled to fight it but he knew it was useless and, slowly, his body began to succumb to the sleep spell that his adversary had cast upon him.

"Goodbye, Axel," Xemnas said quietly, murmuring soft words under his breath as the side of the crystal that was open began to slowly shut, imprisoning Axel firmly inside. "You will be missed." He looked at Axel once more before he turned and walked away, his eyes never once leaving either the crystal or the person imprisoned within. "I'm truly sorry that it had to be this way but to betray the Organization is to open the door wide for dissension and chaos. For this reason, we must stamp out **ALL **opposition... even to those whom we care for. I'm sure you can understand and appreciate _that_, at least..."

Axel watched Xemnas through half-open, bleary eyes as a whirling, black-green smoke welled up from the floor and enveloped him, twisting black and green tendrils writhing and wrapping around him before he vanished in a ball of blackish-white light. After he was gone, Axel struggled a little, pulling at the chains that bound him but he was trapped and he knew it. His heart constricted once more, a soft moan torn from his throat as the darkness began its slow ascent to reach up and claim him for its own.

He fought off sleep for a little longer, but he was losing the battle to stay awake. The last thing he saw before his eyes closed were the burning candles in the sconces carved into the walls and he thought how much he wished that Roxas were here by his side. It _was _somewhat interesting that it should have come to this and he appreciated the irony in a way that that miserable bastard who'd imprisoned him here couldn't.

_Funny how I should think about that now_ _since I can certainly appreciate the irony,_ Axel mused to himself, a tired smile tugging at the corners of his mouth for a few moments before his eyes narrowed and his lips twisted into a feral snarl. _I hope that SOB chokes on the chains I'm gonna stuff down his damn throat once I get out of here! And, if he ever hurts Roxas, I swear that I _will _kill that sniveling bastard slowly and painfully...with my own hands._

His surge of bravado over and the last dregs of desperate energy that he had left now spent, Axel sighed with regret. He lowered his head, trying and failing to fight the wave of dizziness that swept over him but he was forced to look down when the spinning room became too much for him to take, squeezing his eyes tightly shut until the feeling passed.

Axel opened his eyes briefly, looking up at the ceiling for a moment before they fluttered shut once again, swallowing hard over the lump that had formed in his throat. _I'm sorry that I won't be able to be there for you, but I want you to know that I love you more than anyone else in the world._ _You are my sole reason for living and I _wouldn't_ take back any day I've spent with you for anything and I pray that someday you will understand just _how_ much you mean to me...  
_

He lifted his head and looked one last time at the flickering candles in the wall, his eyes misting. _I also hope that, one day, you can love me, too... even if I'm not there physically..._

The dancing flames were hypnotizing as Axel stared into them, his eyelashes fluttering against his cheeks as he closed his eyes, his head dropping onto his chest, his breathing becoming shallow and slow.  
_  
Roxas... I...love... you... _was the last thought that went through his mind before he succumbed to a slumber filled with uneasy dreams, the burning candles flickering softly, casting their cheerful light on the walls.


	3. Roxas: The Journey Begins

_A/N: I don't own anything except the plot of this fic. :D The characters belong to Square Enix & Disney._ :)

**~X-x-X~**

_Roxas, worried about Axel, is pacing the floor when he sees something that makes him tremble. He discovers that Axel is indeed in trouble and the cause of it is Xemnas, which is confirmed when Demyx comes speeding in to warn him to flight..._

**~X-x-X~**

Chapter 3! :^) Roxas is about to begin the journey of his life and he will discover himself in the process. It isn't going to be an easy journey-voyages of self-discovery usually _never_ are-but something good will definitely come of it. :^) He just has to get through the tough bits.  
Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days **ROCKS!!!** :^) It's an **AWESOME** game! I'm on my second play through. :^) It _really_ is a great story-and gives you a lot of background about Axel and Roxas-although very sad, as well. I think I have a much better grasp of Axel and Roxas since I finished playing Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days than I did earlier before I played the game and I hope that this story reflects that. :^) Of course, I will still continue to seek advice on characterization just in case I still haven't got it down _quite_ right just yet.

Anyway, hope you enjoy this latest chapter! :) Comments and suggestions are appreciated and very welcome! :^) [Axel's dialogue is in boldface.]

_**Thank you **to all my readers: those who have commented, read, reviewed, favourited/story alerted my stories and thanks also to those who have author alerted/favourite authored, as well! I appreciate it very much! I am glad that you are enjoying my stories and I hope that you will continue to enjoy them in the future! :)_

**Thank you** to my betas, 1-Love-Me-Deadly and Midnight-hunter, for all your comments and insights! I **really **appreciate it a bunch! :)

As always, **extra special thanks** and **MUCH MUCH MUCH MUCH** love to my beloved husband, DezoPenguin, for his enduring love, support, encouragement, nagging (when necessary) and comfort when I feel like tearing out my hair during the writing process! Love you, babe!

Rated Teen, Axel x Roxas, AU, Drama/Romance

**~X-x-X~**

_Axel..._

Roxas paced uneasily back and forth across the black-and-white tiled floor in the kitchen, stopping every so often to look out the window for a few moments and then resume pacing.

Axel was late. There was no other way around it. He was late. And Roxas was worried.

That, in and of itself, wasn't usually enough to make Roxas start to worry but Axel had been gone for over eleven hours on an errand that should have only taken an hour at the most. It just didn't make any sense.

_What could be keeping him?_ Roxas wondered, his eyes flickering over to the clock on the kitchen wall again, nibbling on his nail with his teeth. _He's never been _this_ late before..._

He looked down at the note he held in his hand, chewing on his lower lip, his bright blue eyes creased with worry.

"**Roxas**

**Went to the store to pick up some things for dinner. Be back soon!**

**Love you, Axel**."

Sighing, Roxas set the note down on the table and sank into the chair he'd vacated earlier, rubbing his eyes absentmindedly.

_Something _felt wrong about all of this; he wasn't exactly certain just _what _but he knew that something was awry. The feeling of wrong kept increasing over time and, no matter how many times he tried to convince himself that the opposite was true, it kept coming back.

He tried to reassure himself that there was_ nothing_ to worry about, that he was_ sure_ there was a rational explanation as to why Axel was so late in coming home or...

_Maybe...he doesn't want to... _he thought despondently, his lips twitching slightly, turning to look out of the kitchen window at the rain which ran in rivulets down the windowpane. _Maybe... he doesn't want me..._

As much as it hurt to even think about, he had to entertain it as a possibility. They had been living together for quite some time and, although Axel had been certain in his affections, Roxas wasn't in his.

He could _guess_ that what he was feeling was love but he and Axel both were Nobodies. How could he be sure that what he was feeling really _was_ love? How could either of them?

In truth, he wasn't sure _how_ he felt; he knew he had that tingly feeling around Axel that he didn't have around anyone else but _what_ was that feeling, exactly? He didn't know... and it was beginning to drive a wedge between himself and Axel which hurt even more.

He knew that Axel was frustrated but he was doing his best to be patient while Roxas sorted himself out. Even so, the strain was beginning to show on the redhead's face even though he tried in every way he could to conceal it... which made Roxas feel even guiltier than he already did.

_I wish feelings could be easier to figure out_, he thought sadly, covering his face with his hands and closing his eyes. _I wish I knew what I felt so I could stop hurting him._ _He doesn't deserve that._

The thought of Axel not being around was one he didn't like to entertain, let alone imagine. A quiet moan bubbled up from his lips, tears welling in his eyes. What was wrong with him today?

_-_**Roxas**_-_

Roxas lifted his head, his hands falling away from his face with some surprise, his eyes widening. That... voice... where was that voice coming from? It sounded so close...but yet so far away at the same time. Could it have just been his imagination or, if he were brutally honest with himself, wishful thinking?

_-_**Roxas**_..._-

"Axel?" he said shakily, his wide, blue eyes darting around the room, his hands beginning to tremble. "Is that...is it..._you_?" He gripped the sides of the breakfast table until his knuckles turned white, his voice rising. "Where are you? I _can't _see you!"

**A sweet, sad smile... A soft whisper...**

Roxas, his mouth dropping open in shock, slowly got to his feet and stared in horrified fascination as he saw the image coming into view in front of him, reaching out a shaking hand as if to try and touch it. Or could it have simply been to keep it away?

"Axel...?" he breathed softly, the name catching in his throat and he swallowed hard, trying to get rid of the solid lump so that he could speak. "Is that... is... that... _you_?" He took a halting step forward, his legs trembling, his eyes never leaving the shifting, twisting image that hovered there, a lopsided grin on his face.

-**Hi, Roxy...**-

"It_ is _you!" Roxas cried, relief washing over him, his mouth splitting into a wide grin, pure joy over seeing him again sweeping away all the angry and hurt feelings that had accumulated in the past twelve hours. "I've been so worried! Where are you?! Where have you been?! Why aren't you-"

-**I don't have much time, Roxy,- **Axel interrupted gravely, his grin slowly changing into a solemn frown**. -I have to make this quick so that bastard doesn't know about it and, believe ****me, there isn't much that he doesn't know about.- **He smiled sadly, his bright green eyes shimmering. -**It isn't by my choice that I'm here, believe me; I wish I were there right now with you, rather than where I am...-**

Roxas had been about to make another happy noise but, instead, snapped his mouth shut, his confusion over Axel's cryptic words plain in his eyes.

"What do you mean, '_rather than where I am?'" _he demanded, his happy countenance being replaced by a worried grimace, his cerulean blue eyes reflecting his anguish."Where _are _you?! I've been worried sick about you!"

Axel's image lowered his eyes and sighed with regret.

**-That's just it, Rox,-** he replied softly, gazing at him with such love that Roxas felt his heart constrict within him. -**I don't know **_where_** I am, exactly...-**

Roxas stared at him in disbelief.

"I-I ... don't understand..." he stammered, biting his lip. "What...?"

-**Exactly what I said. I don't **_know__ where __I am_**.- **Axel was silent for a few moments before he spoke again. **-Xemnas got to me outside of the supermarket and imprisoned me somewhere; I just don't know **_where_** that happens to be.-**

All the color drained from Roxas' face and he found that he_ had_ to sit down or his legs would have given out underneath him. He landed heavily on the chair.

"Xemnas?" he whispered fearfully, his heart beginning to beat double time in his chest, beads of sweat beginning to form on his forehead.

_I _knew_ something was wrong!_

Axel nodded. -**Worse luck.** **We didn't run as fast or as far as we thought we did, Rox–the damn bastard still got me.**- He looked_ very _unhappy. -**Organization XIII is out looking for you, too. Get away while you can or you may end up like me.**- He closed his eyes for a moment, sighing loudly. -**I couldn't bear that happening, Rox. I want you to get away from them and be safe; that's **_all_** that really matters to me.**-

Roxas was stunned. How could Axel so cavalierly dismiss the grave danger he was in, simply wanting to make sure that he escaped from Organization XIII's anaconda-like grip?

"What... what do you _mean_?" he asked in a hoarse, strangled voice, his expression reflecting his disbelief.

_This can't be happening!_

-**It's very simple, Roxy**,- Axel said softly, his eyes opening until he was looking at him through half-open slits, the bright green color shimmering with unshed tears, the corners of his mouth turning up in a sad smile. -**It's because I love you.**- A lone tear escaped from underneath his right eye, slowly rolling down his cheek and Roxas stepped forward, his hand reaching out to him as if he wanted to touch Axel's face, to gently wipe away that lone tear. -**That's all.**-

_Axel..._

Roxas' hand shook slightly as he reached out once again, touching Axel's cheek tenderly with his fingertips, an electric thrill racing through him. He gasped in surprise at the sensation but he didn't pull away; he really wasn't sure why or what, exactly, the confusing feelings that raced through his whirling thoughts were.

_It doesn't make any sense... _Roxas thought unhappily, his eyes misting as he stood there, staring at the twisting, wavering image of Axel suspended in mid-air. I_ don't understand... what's going on?_

He wanted to say more but, at that instant, Demyx burst into the room, breathing hard.

"Roxy!" he cried, holding his side, his face creased in pain. "You gotta get out of here, man! _They're _after you!"

_They...? After... me...? Who...?_

"Who's... after... me...?" he asked, his mind firmly on the twisting image in front of him and not fully on Demyx.

Demyx looked at him, disbelief plain in his face.

"You know... **THEM**!" He waved his arms around. "You know _who_ I'm talking about, Roxas!"

"_Who_?" Roxas' brow furrowed, his mouth twisting slightly. "You're _not _making any sense, Demyx. _Who_ is after me?"

Demyx ignored the question, waving his hand in front of Roxas' face. "Are you sure you're even on planet Earth? And why are you doing holding up your hand to empty air?"

Roxas snapped out of the trance he was in, blinking several times as he shook his head to clear it.

"What... empty air...? I'm... there's... its... Axel; he's _here_ and he's in trouble!" He whirled to face Demyx who looked at him as if he'd taken leave of his senses. "Axel's here and he's in trouble!" he repeated, wondering why Demyx just stood there like a statue, looking askance at him. "We have to _help _him!"

"Ummm... _who's_ here, _who's_ in trouble and help _whom_, Roxy?" Demyx queried, his eyes narrowing slightly, confusion plain on his face. "There's nobody here."

"What?" Roxas' eyes were as wide as saucers. "What are you talking about?! Can't you see him?! He's _right_ here!"

"R-right..." Demyx replied slowly, shaking his head in the affirmative although Roxas could clearly see that he didn't believe him. "Sure, Roxy; Axel's here... whatever you say..." He gave him a sidelong glance. "Are you _sure_ you're ok?"

"Of course I'm sure!" he exploded, leaping forward and grabbing a fistful of Demyx's robe, giving it a good hard shake until Demyx's teeth rattled. "He's right here, damn it!"

"I'm sorry, Roxy, really I am!" Demyx squeaked, his eyes widening. "Honest, I can't see him!"

Roxas grit his teeth in frustration, sweeping out his arm and pointing to where he remembered seeing Axel's hovering image.

"Can't you see him?!" he barked angrily, his eyes flashing blue fire. "He's right h-" His biting words died in his throat when he turned to look and saw... nothing. There was naught except empty air and no sign that anything out of the ordinary had happened.

Roxas' face fell as he let go of Demyx, his mind whirling as he pressed his hands over his face, struggling to regain some semblance of control and fighting back the tears he could feel welling up in his eyes.

_I know I saw him there, I _know_ it! _he thought unhappily, his body trembling so hard that he was only dimly aware that Demyx had laid his hand on his shoulder, crooning soft words of comfort._ I wasn't imagining that! I'd know him anywhere!_

"I'm sorry, Roxy," Demyx said sympathetically, his fingers tightening on his shoulder. "I know how close you two were-are-and that you miss him, but you gotta listen to me, man. You're in **BIG **trouble and you need to get out of here **now**!"

_Xemnas..._


End file.
